Package-tier.



J. C. PIGKENS.

PACKAGE TIER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.14, 1907.

- s my W #I n My mm m g 1, H M m u 7.,s HI! am nfi W H mm M .6 NM H 1% dI] H e ul \l t o m H g x 2 a I'll P B:

HIIIIHIIH IIIH J. O. PICKENS.

PACKAGE TIER.

APPLICATION FILED 001214, 1907.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\wsuwwg $0M Q. Pmkens, 9 )W%.w\

J. 0. PIGKENS.

PAGKAGE'TIER, APPLICATION FILED 00T.14, 1907.

904,223. Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

3SHEETSSHEET 3.

Tuhn L). icheus,

UNITED STATE? PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. PIOKENS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROMANZON. BUNN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PACKAGE-TIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Application filed October 14, 1907. Serial No. 397,334.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it. known that I, JOHN C. PlOKENS, a resident of Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and vState of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Package Tiers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates more particularly to a machine or apparatusadapted to tie up bundles or packages with string, twine, or the like;and as it is particularly adapted for tying up packages of lettersor-other mail matter, I will describe the invention in connection withsuch use of the apparatus, although, I do not wish to be limited to thisparticular use of the apparatus.

' It is well known that at the present time a large amount of string ortwine is wasted in the post. ofliees throughout the country in tying uppackages of mail matter. Carriers or clerks, in order to make thepackage more secure and in order to make the knot easily, will usuallyor frequently wind the twine around the package many times before tyingthe knot, and will also waste a considerable amount of twine in makingthe knot, leaving long, free ends dangling from the package. Iurthermore, it requires considerable skill and time to tie up thepackages, even in this undesirable manner.

Among the objects of the present invention are to save twine used intying up the packages, by making fewer turns around the package, andwasting less twine in making the knots; to enable the tying of thepackage to be donemuch more rapidly and by persons who are notparticularly skilled in this kind of work.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, showingone form or embodiment thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is an end view ofthe same as seen from the right-hand side of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is atop-plan view showing a portion of the machine; Fig. 4 is an enlargeddetail of the cord or twine holder; Fig. 5 is a detail showing theoperation of the cam for raising the presser; parts being omitted orbroken away in these various figures for convenience in illustration;and Fig. 6 is a plan view of a bundle of letters, showing the method oftying.

Briefly stated, the method of operation comprises the passing of t-hctwinc around a bundle of letters in one direction, then turning the bundleso as to form a crossing of the twine, then passing the twine around thebundle in a direction at ninety degrees from the first winding, andfinally tying the twine at a point as near as possible to the bundle. Asshown in the accompanying drawings illustrating my machine forperforming these operations, 8 represents a frame of any suitable form,which carries bearings 99 for the main shaft 10. This shaft may beturned in any desired manner, either by power or by means of a crank asindicated at 11. The shaft 10 carries a gear-wheel 11 which meshes witha pinion 12 on a sleeve 13 which is mounted on a second shaft or rod 14which is rigidly secured to one end of the frame 8 by means of nuts 15.As shown particularly in Fig. 2, the teeth of the gearwheel 11 are cutaway for about one-half of its circumference, so that the pinion 12 willonly be revolved part of the time for purposes which will be explainedhereinafter. The gear-wheel 11 is provided around the toothless portionwith a plate or flange 16 which engages with rollers 17 on the face ofthe pinion 12 in order to hold the sleeve 13 securely in position whilecertain operations are being performed. The sleeve 13 is held inposition by means of collars l8, and this sleeve carries a bent arm 19for guiding the twine, and also the twine receptacle 20 for carrying aball of twine, as indicated at 21. 22 indicates a suitable tensiondevice for the twine, this tension device being preferably mounted onthe support for the arm and twine receptacle. The twine 23 passes outthrough an opening 24. in the twine receptacle, to the tension device22, then through suitable guides 25 and an eye 26 in the end of the arm19, to a twiiie holder 27. The rod 14 also carries at its inner end, onepart of the table 28 which is divided at 29 to permit the passage of thetwine around the package. In order to press the twine down to the same,

position, regardless of the size of the package, so that it may beengaged by the knotter, I have provided a finger 30 which is pivoted at-31 to a bracket 32 on the table 28 and is normally held inraisedposition by means of a coiled spring 33. This'finger is provided at itslower end with a segmental extension having teeth which engage with avertically reciprocating rack 34. This rack is rounded at its lowerextremity and engages with a cam on the sleeve 13 and is adapted to beoperated thereby,'the arrangement being such that as the cam raises therack, the finger 30 will be depressed until its outer end rests againstthe table, thereby pressing the twine, after it has'been passed aroundthe bundle and is ready for tying, at each time to the same position.

In order to turn the bundle of letters after the twine has been passedaround them in one direction, I have provided a holder or receivingplate 36 which is ivoted at 37 on the table 28, and which may e turnedby means of a bent rod 38 forming the pivot and to one end of which theplate is" secured. The plate is held in normal position by means of aspring 39 engaging with said rod. The rod is turned to swing the plate36 by the action of the cam 40 on one side of a cam-wheel 41 mounted onthe shaft 10, which engages with the lower bent end of said rod andwhich is adapted to turn the rod substantially ninety degrees and tohold it in such position while the second winding around the package isbeing made and the knot formed.

In order to hold the letters securely on the plate 36 .while the twineis being passed around them, I have provided a presser bar 41 which ismounted at one end of an \arm 42, pivoted at 43 to a bracket 44 on thetable 1 28. The arm 42 is normally pressed down by means of a coiledspring 43 to hold the bar 41 in close engagement with the letters afterthey have been placed on the plate 36. This arm, however, is held in araised position to admit the placing of the letters or bundle by meansof a cam-rod 45. which passes through a bearing 46 on the frame 8 andthrough ahole in the table 28 and engages with the lower side of the arm42. The rod 45 is provided at its lower end with a roller 47 which restson a cam 48 mounted on the shaft 10. This cam is so formed that it willhold the rod up at the time the letters are to be placed in position andwill permit "the rod to move down as soon as the machine is started, sothat theletters will be firmly held while the twine is being passedaround in one direction and will again raise the rod to release thepresser-bar at thetime the plate 36 is to be turned to permit the twineto be passed in the other direction, and will then allow the rod 45 todrop so that the letters will again be held while the twine is beingpassed around the second time [and being tie Any ordinary or preferredform of kno tter may be usedfor tying the twine, and the particular formof knotter does not form a part of thepresent invention, but I haveindicated such knotting device at 49. The knotter proper is carried atthe end of the slide 50, mounted. in suitable bearings under the table28, and is held in normally retracted position by means of a spring 51knot by means is so arranged that which acts on an extension 52 on theslide 50 and against one of the bearings through which said extensionpasses. The knotter is moved forward so that the beak will engage withtwo strands of twine, by means of a lever 53 which is pivoted at 54 to abracket extending out from the main frame and t which has its lowerextremity lying within the path of a cam 55 on the face of the camwheel41, said cam being adapted to move the lower end of the lever outwardlyso as to throw the knotter forward into line with the opening 29 in thetable 28.- WVhen the knotter has thus been'moved forward at the.

proper time for the beak to engage two strands of twine, it is turned toform the of a gear-wheel 56 which is engaged by a gear segment 57 on thecamwheel 41. After the knot has been tied, the knotter again assumes itsnormal position out of the way of the twine which is to be passed arounda new package.

' The twine is severed by means of a knife or cutter 5 8 which is alsomounted on a second slide 59, this second slide also being supportedunderneath the table, adjacent to the slide 50 and being held innormally retractecl position by means of a spring 60. This slide isoperated by means of a second lever 61 which is adapted to be moved bymeans of a cam 62 on the camwheel 41.

- The cord-holder 27, heretofore referred to and which is shown enlargedin Fig. 4, comprises a bell-crank lever 63 which is pivoted at 64 to abracket 65 onthe lower side of the 1.

table 28 and which is enlarged and bifurengagement with the twine. Thisdisk is pivoted at 67 to the end of the lever 63 and when the twine 23has entered between one of the teeth and similarly shaped projections 68onthe sides of the bifurcated end of thelever 63, and the jcated at oneend to receive a disk 66 having curved teeth at the outer edge thereoffor disk is turned, the twine will be held between 3 said teeth and theadjacent sides of said bifurcated end, then after the twine has beensevered, the short piece remaining in the holder will be dropped out asthe disk con tinues to turn.

The holder normally rests in the position shownin dotted lines in Fig.4, and in order to swing it up to engage with the twine, a slide 69 isprovided which is supported underneath the table in a manner similar tothe slides above mentioned and which has a beveled forward end 70 whichengages with a roller/4'1 on the opposite end of the lever 63; and bypushing this end down, swings the outer end up as shown in full lines inFig. 4, so that the twine will enter the opening between one of theteeth on the disk 66 and the hooks 68. disk 66 after it has becomeengaged with In order to revolve the the twine, I provide a ratchet 7 2which is j mounted on the pin 67 carrying the disk 66 and which isoperated by means of a peculiarly shaped pawl 73. This pawl is pivotedat 7A: to the slide 69 and is slotted as indicated at 75 to engage withthe pivot (st which carries the lever (33. The pawl is so arranged thatit moves forward with the slide (it), and after the holder has beenswung up to engaging position, the continued forward movement of theslide causes the pawl 73 to engage with the ratchet 72 and move itforward one notch. A springpressed dog 76 is provided for holding theratchet from turning backward.

\Vith this description of the various parts of the machine, itsoperation as a whole will be readily understood. The operator firstplaces a package of letters or the like on the plate 36 and then startsthe machine, as by turning the crank 11 in the direction indicated bythe arrow A, Fig. 2. This causes the sleeve 13 to be turned in theopposite direction, and, supposing .the twine to be threaded aroundthrough the guides on the arm 19, and with its end held by the holder27, as the arm swings around it will carry the twine around the package.The package in the meantime has been securely held by means of thepresser-bar 41. After the arm has passed once around, the cam 40 actsupon the arm 38 to swing the plate 36 and with it the package ofletters, the twine having been passed around the projecting finger onsaid plate, insures the certainty of the movement of the package. Thecontinued movement of the arm 19 causes the twine to be wound around thepackage a second time, and the finger 30 is swung down to bring thetwine to proper position for engagement by the holder, and the holder 27then swings up to engage the thread or twine passing from the package tothe end of the arm. The knotter then moves forward andties the knotbetween the holder and the package, and then the cutter moves forwardand severs the two threads between the knotter and the holder. Thesedevices then recede under the table 28 and the operator removes the tiedpackage, and the machine is ready for the next operation. \Vhile themachine, as thus described, winds the twine or cord around the packageonly once in each direction, it is obvious that, if desired, it can beso arranged and timed as to permit the cord to be wound around thepackage two or more times in each direction.

I am aware that various details in the coni struction of the machine asillustrated, may

be varied to greater 01' less extent, and I do not wish to limit myselfto the exact construction shown, but

\Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is: i

1. In a package tier, the combination of means for winding twine aroundthe package, means for turning the package whereby the twine will becrossed, said first-named means then continuing to wind the twine aroundin another direction, and means for knotting the free ends of the twine.

, 2. In a machine for tying packages or bundles, the combination ofmeans for holding the bundle to be tied. means for winding twine or cordaround the bundle in more than one direction, and means for kuotting thetwine or cord to hold the bundle securely tied.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of means forholding a bundle of letters or the like, means for passing a cord aroundsaid bundle in one direction. means for turning said bundlesubstantially ninety degrees whereby said cord is crossed. saidfirst-named means continuing to act to pass the cord again around thebundle, and means for knotting said cord.

4. In a package tier, the combinationot a plate or holder for receivinga bundle or package to be tied, a twine-holder, means for guiding saidtwine from a source of supplv to said twineholder, means for swingingsaid guide around said package or bundle, means for turning said platewhereby said twine maybe wound around said bundle in another direction,means for tying said twine, and means for severing said twine betweensaid knotter and said holder. I

5. The combination of a frame, a table on said frame, a driving shaftmounted in said frame, a supporting rod also mounted in said 'frame, aguide-arm revolubly mounted on said rod, means for turning said arm fromsaid main shaft, a plate mounted on said table and adapted to receive apackage or bundle to be tied, a knotter adjacent to said plate, asevering device adjacent to said knotter, a twine-holder adjacent tosaid severing device. means for operating said devices from said mainshaft ,whereby the twine or cord from a suitable supply maybe woundaround the package in one or more directions and then knotted andsevered, substantially as described.

(5. The combination of a. frame, a table on said frame having an openingacross the same, a driving shaft mounted in said frame, a revoluble armmounted above said main shaft and adapted to swing around said table,gears for driving said arm from said driving shaft, a receptacle forholding twine also mounted with said arm, a tension device on said arm,a plate for receiving a bundle or package to be tied pivotally mountedadjacent to the opening across said table and having a projectionextending across said opening, means for pressing down and holding apackage or bundle on said plate, a knotter mounted adjacent to saidplate, a twine cutter mounted adjacent to the knotter,

a twine-holder mounted adjacent to said cutter, and means coacting withsaid driving.

. shaft for swinging said plate and operating said ,presser device,knotter,cutter and holder, whereby the twine from said twine supply maybe passed around said bundle or package in one or more directions andthen knotted and severed.

7. In a package tier, the combination of means for'holding the free endof the twine to be Wrapped around the package, means for winding thetwine around the package, a knotter arran edadjacent to said means forholding the free end of the twine, and a swinging arm or finger arrangedtransversely to the path of the twine and adapted to press one strand ofthe twine into position to be path of the twine and operating the samefor the purpose described.

9. In a package tier, the combination of a narrow bar adapted to engagewith the package to be tied adjacent to and parallel with the line ofengagement of the twine to hold the package while the twine is beingpassed around the same, a spring for pressing said bar into engagementwith the package, and

means for raising said bar to release said package.

10. In a package tier, the combination with a table, of a plate pivotedon said table, a bent arm depending from said plate and adapted'to turnthe same, a driving shaft, and a cam'mounted on said shaft for turningsaid arm. 9

11. A cord-holder for a package tier,.comprising a pivoted bell-crankmounted on a suitable bearing under the table, said crank beingbifurcated and enlarged at one end, a toothed disk mounted in saidbifurcated end 1 and adapted to engage thescord between said teeth andprojections on said bifurcated end, a ratchet for moving said disk, aslide having a beveled end engaging with the opposite end of saidbell-crank to swing said for the purpose described. I 12. Thecombination of a frame, a table supported by said frame, a.-drivingshaft mounted in said frame, a supporting rod mounted above said drivingshaft, a sleeve on said rod, a pinion on said sleeve, a segmental gearon said'shaft for turning said inion a late on said ear rollers on saida es 7 pmion'adapted to engage with said plate tohold the sleeve duringa portion of the revolution of said shaft, a bent arm mounted on saidsleeve and adapted to swing around the table, a receptacle for a twinesupply also mounted onsaid sleeve, a twine depressing finger mounted onsaid table, a

spring for holding said finger in normally raised position, a gear andrack for' swinging said finger, a cam on said sleeve for operating saidrack, a plate mounted adjacent to an opening across said table, an armfor swinging said plate, a cam on said shaft for turning said arm, apresser-bar pivotally mounted on said table, a spring to press said bardownwardlyfa cam rod for raising said bar, a cam on said shaft foroperating said rod, a knotter slidably mounted underneath said table,adjacent to' said opening, means for holding said knotter in normallyretracted position, a cam lever for moving said knotter forward, a camon said shaft for operating said lever, means connected with said shaftfor turning said knotter, a severin device slidably mounted underneathsaid table, means for holding said device in normally retractedposition, a cam lever for moving ,said device forward to sever thetwine, a cam on said shaft for operating said lever, a twine-holdermounted underneath said tableadjacent to the opening, means for swingingsaid twine-holderup to engage with the twine, a cam lever for operatingsaid swinging means, and a cam on said shaft for operating said lever.

- JOHN C. PICKENS.

- Witnesses:

A. W. FENSTEMAKER, 1L. Lane.

